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2nd LD Writethru: Two pilots killed in Russian military helicopter crash in Syria

Xinhua, April 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

An attack helicopter of the Russian Aerospace Force crashed early Tuesday in Syria, killing two military pilots, Russian media reported.

The Mi-28 helicopter crashed during a mission in Syria's Homs province, and the bodies of two crew members have been recovered and brought to Russia's Hmeimim airbase in Syria, TASS news agency said, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.

The ministry said the helicopter was not shot down.

Investigators are working at the crash site to establish the cause of the incident.

This is not the first time for the Russian military to have suffered casualties in Syria since Moscow began deploying aircraft in Syria to strike terrorist targets in late September last year.

In March, a Russian special forces officer was killed during a target-designation mission near the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.

Also last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of most of the country's air force from Syria after nearly six months of strikes against terrorists.

After the withdrawal, Russia is still striking terrorist targets and keeping coordination with the U.S.-led coalition forces, according to Russian officials. Endi